AI Book Report/Interview: St. John's Mystery (An End Times study for sure!)

[bdavidc]

Indeed, the works that I speak do show what kind of teacher I am.

But "backwards" is a matter of perspective. Go figure the Priests and Pharisees even thought Jesus was a false teacher. I was right to group you with them.

No, Scott. Comparing yourself to Jesus and putting me in the place of the Pharisees does not prove your teaching is true.

The Pharisees were condemned because they rejected the truth of God while holding to their own traditions. Jesus told them, “making the word of God of no effect through your tradition” (Mark 7:13). I am doing the opposite. I am putting what you teach under the written Word of God and asking you to prove it.

That is exactly what Scripture tells believers to do. “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Bereans even tested Paul's preaching by Scripture: “they searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Paul did not accuse them of being Pharisees for checking him.

And Paul went even further: “even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). Nobody gets a pass from being tested by God's Word.

So no, questioning your teaching does not make me a Pharisee, and comparing yourself to Jesus does not make your teaching true. If what you teach is biblical, then stop with the comparisons and show it plainly from Scripture.

 

[ScottA]

I quoted your entire sentence

"sentence"

Well, good for you!

That's the problem--you reacted to one sentence like those who deceive often do--without the whole message.

 

[bdavidc]

Oh, but I have.

Perhaps not to you personally...because you--not the scriptures--demand "proof" as do atheists and an evil generation. And you who claim to know the scriptures wonder why.

That is a twisting of Scripture. Jesus rebuked people for demanding a miraculous sign from Him. He did not condemn believers for testing men who claim to speak for God.

God commands the exact opposite of what you are saying: “Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1). “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Bereans were called noble because they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).

So stop hiding your claim behind “an evil generation.” It would be you who twist and add to the Bible that would be an evil generation. Scripture commands me to test what you are saying. If you claim God personally sent you to finish His mystery, then prove it from His Word. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

You have made an extraordinary claim in God’s name. Either establish it from Scripture or stop presenting your own claim as though God said it.

 

[ScottA]

No, Scott. Comparing yourself to Jesus and putting me in the place of the Pharisees does not prove your teaching is true.

The Pharisees were condemned because they rejected the truth of God while holding to their own traditions. Jesus told them, “making the word of God of no effect through your tradition” (Mark 7:13). I am doing the opposite. I am putting what you teach under the written Word of God and asking you to prove it.

That is exactly what Scripture tells believers to do. “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Bereans even tested Paul's preaching by Scripture: “they searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Paul did not accuse them of being Pharisees for checking him.

And Paul went even further: “even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). Nobody gets a pass from being tested by God's Word.

So no, questioning your teaching does not make me a Pharisee, and comparing yourself to Jesus does not make your teaching true. If what you teach is biblical, then stop with the comparisons and show it plainly from Scripture.

The scriptures do not say to demand proof. And they don't say to test every spirit with the scriptures according to your own understanding.

That just shows you twisting the scriptures to support your own beliefs.

That's not how this works, and the fact that I have to correct you on it, just shows the truth all the more clearly.

 

[bdavidc]

The scriptures do not say to demand proof. And they don't say to test every spirit with the scriptures according to your own understanding.

That just shows you twisting the scriptures to support your own beliefs.

That's not how this works, and the fact that I have to correct you on it, just shows the truth all the more clearly.

Scott, that is simply false. You are now denying the very biblical standard God gave for testing anyone who claims to speak for Him.

You say Scripture does not tell us to require proof. Then read Deuteronomy 18:21-22: “How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?” God then gives them a test. God did not tell Israel to blindly accept someone saying, “God sent me.” He told them how to determine whether the claim was actually from Him.

You say we are not to test teaching by Scripture. Acts 17:11 destroys that argument. The Bereans “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” They tested the preaching of an apostle against the written Word, and God called them “more noble” for doing it.

Paul commands, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). John commands, “believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Isaiah says, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

And no, I am not asking anyone to test you according to my “own understanding.” I am putting your claims beside the written Word of God. That is exactly what you keep trying to escape.

You claim God sent you, took you into heaven, and commissioned you to finish the mystery of God. Then Scripture gives me every right and every obligation to test that claim. Your answer is now basically, “That is not how this works.”

According to whom, Scott? You?

God already told us how this works. Test it. Prove it. Search the Scriptures. Reject what does not agree with His Word.

Your private claims do not outrank Scripture. Your supposed revelation does not outrank Scripture. And telling Christians that biblical testing is “twisting Scripture” does not make your teaching safer. It exposes exactly why it needs to be tested.

“Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

 

[ScottA]

Scott, that is simply false. You are now denying the very biblical standard God gave for testing anyone who claims to speak for Him.

You say Scripture does not tell us to require proof. Then read Deuteronomy 18:21-22: “How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?” God then gives them a test. God did not tell Israel to blindly accept someone saying, “God sent me.” He told them how to determine whether the claim was actually from Him.

You say we are not to test teaching by Scripture. Acts 17:11 destroys that argument. The Bereans “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” They tested the preaching of an apostle against the written Word, and God called them “more noble” for doing it.

Paul commands, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). John commands, “believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Isaiah says, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

And no, I am not asking anyone to test you according to my “own understanding.” I am putting your claims beside the written Word of God. That is exactly what you keep trying to escape.

You claim God sent you, took you into heaven, and commissioned you to finish the mystery of God. Then Scripture gives me every right and every obligation to test that claim. Your answer is now basically, “That is not how this works.”

According to whom, Scott? You?

God already told us how this works. Test it. Prove it. Search the Scriptures. Reject what does not agree with His Word.

Your private claims do not outrank Scripture. Your supposed revelation does not outrank Scripture. And telling Christians that biblical testing is “twisting Scripture” does not make your teaching safer. It exposes exactly why it needs to be tested.

“Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

I'm traveling, on my phone, and need to be brief.

I just corrected you twisting the scriptures, showing that you are not being lead by the Spirit.

Thus all of your going on, I will not entertain or engage. But your reading of the scriptures is off. An example is your assuming the meaning of 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and the word "prove"...which also means "approve." Apparently you are doing that a lot. The problem is, the words--even scripture--of all language has been confused by God, to limit people from doing what you are doing and not relying totally on the Spirit.

Meanwhile, the Spirit is working on a completely different front...of which I am a part. You don't have to believe it, and I don't have to prove. God is moving even so. And you can continue to do what you merely believe is right by how you read according to your own understanding, or you can fully surrender and stop acting like you are on top of it all. You're not, and neither am I. But truly consider what God actually does when the world is in the shape it is. Beating that drum is not it.

 

[bdavidc]

I'm traveling, on my phone, and need to be brief.

I just corrected you twisting the scriptures, showing that you are not being lead by the Spirit.

Thus all of your going on, I will not entertain or engage. But your reading of the scriptures is off. An example is your assuming the meaning of 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and the word "prove"...which also means "approve." Apparently you are doing that a lot. The problem is, the words--even scripture--of all language has been confused by God, to limit people from doing what you are doing and not relying totally on the Spirit.

Meanwhile, the Spirit is working on a completely different front...of which I am a part. You don't have to believe it, and I don't have to prove. God is moving even so. And you can continue to do what you merely believe is right by how you read according to your own understanding, or you can fully surrender and stop acting like you are on top of it all. You're not, and neither am I. But truly consider what God actually does when the world is in the shape it is. Beating that drum is not it.

Now you have crossed from twisting a word into inventing a doctrine the Bible never teaches.

Yes, the Greek word in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, dokimazō, can carry the sense of approving something, but only after testing or examining it. That does not rescue your argument. Paul says, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” You do not “hold fast” what is good until it has been tested.

And this claim that God confused human language so people would stop relying on Scripture and rely “totally on the Spirit” is nowhere in the Bible. Genesis 11 says God confused the languages to scatter mankind at Babel. It does not say He deliberately made Scripture unreliable or unintelligible so men could replace it with private spiritual revelation.

In fact, Scripture says the opposite. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” and is sufficient to make the man of God “perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bereans “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). John commands, “try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1).

You keep saying, “I don’t have to prove it.” That is exactly the attitude Scripture warns us not to accept from someone claiming God sent him.

The Holy Spirit does not lead men away from the Word He inspired. He does not contradict Scripture, bypass Scripture, or make your private claims exempt from Scripture.

No, the problem is not that I am trusting Scripture too much. The problem is that you are asking people to trust your claimed spiritual experience when you cannot establish it from the written Word.

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). You might want to read that again.

Your “Spirit told me” claim does not outrank God’s Word.

 

[ScottA]

You are now denying the very biblical standard God gave for testing anyone who claims to speak for Him.

That is a lie.

I did no such thing, I simply corrected you.

 

[ScottA]

Now you have crossed from twisting a word into inventing a doctrine the Bible never teaches.

Yes, the Greek word in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, dokimazō, can carry the sense of approving something, but only after testing or examining it. That does not rescue your argument. Paul says, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” You do not “hold fast” what is good until it has been tested.

And this claim that God confused human language so people would stop relying on Scripture and rely “totally on the Spirit” is nowhere in the Bible. Genesis 11 says God confused the languages to scatter mankind at Babel. It does not say He deliberately made Scripture unreliable or unintelligible so men could replace it with private spiritual revelation.

In fact, Scripture says the opposite. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” and is sufficient to make the man of God “perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bereans “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). John commands, “try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1).

You keep saying, “I don’t have to prove it.” That is exactly the attitude Scripture warns us not to accept from someone claiming God sent him.

The Holy Spirit does not lead men away from the Word He inspired. He does not contradict Scripture, bypass Scripture, or make your private claims exempt from Scripture.

No, the problem is not that I am trusting Scripture too much. The problem is that you are asking people to trust your claimed spiritual experience when you cannot establish it from the written Word.

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). You might want to read that again.

Your “Spirit told me” claim does not outrank God’s Word.

You are still not understanding.

It is not for men to decide which definition is correct. What you are missing, is that such passages and words purposely offer a choice, each leading to "life or death, blessing or cursing." All in accord with the narrow way.

In this case, God has left a narrow path of His remaining on task--doing what He does--even in the midst of all that is false. And you missed it, for the broad way.

Again, that is the result of one not totally abandoned to His leading and guiding. That is just what Jesus arranged to occur with the guiding of the Holy Spirit. But you need to yield all, especially what you think is right (as it is written).

 

[bdavidc]

That is a lie.

I did no such thing, I simply corrected you.

Calling it a lie does not erase your own posts.

In post #141, when I said, “If what you are preaching is true then prove it plainly from Scripture in context,” you answered:

“That is not the biblical method, but a method also demanded by atheists and an evil generation.”

In post #129 you said:

“I have given scripture, though no scripture is required, in the way that you say or think you can rightly demand.”

In post #164 you said:

“The scriptures do not say to demand proof. And they don't say to test every spirit with the scriptures according to your own understanding.”

Then in post #166 you flatly said:

“I don't have to prove.”

There it is. That is exactly where you denied the biblical standard of testing your claims.

And Scripture still says, “they searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11), “Prove all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:21), and “try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1).

You can keep saying “That is a lie,” but your own words are sitting right there in the thread.

Stop denying what you wrote and deal with Scripture.

 

[ScottA]

Calling it a lie does not erase your own posts.

In post #141, when I said, “If what you are preaching is true then prove it plainly from Scripture in context,” you answered:

“That is not the biblical method, but a method also demanded by atheists and an evil generation.”

In post #129 you said:

“I have given scripture, though no scripture is required, in the way that you say or think you can rightly demand.”

In post #164 you said:

“The scriptures do not say to demand proof. And they don't say to test every spirit with the scriptures according to your own understanding.”

Then in post #166 you flatly said:

“I don't have to prove.”

There it is. That is exactly where you denied the biblical standard of testing your claims.

And Scripture still says, “they searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11), “Prove all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:21), and “try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1).

You can keep saying “That is a lie,” but your own words are sitting right there in the thread.

Stop denying what you wrote and deal with Scripture.

I deny nothing I wrote--because it's not mine but His who sent me--only your false accusations and misguided understanding. God knows.

 

[bdavidc]

You are still not understanding.

It is not for men to decide which definition is correct. What you are missing, is that such passages and words purposely offer a choice, each leading to "life or death, blessing or cursing." All in accord with the narrow way.

In this case, God has left a narrow path of His remaining on task--doing what He does--even in the midst of all that is false. And you missed it, for the broad way.

Again, that is the result of one not totally abandoned to His leading and guiding. That is just what Jesus arranged to occur with the guiding of the Holy Spirit. But you need to yield all, especially what you think is right (as it is written).

I sure do not want to “understand” a way of handling Scripture that twists what God actually said and then adds meanings He never put there. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it” (Deuteronomy 4:2). And again, “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6).

You keep talking about the “narrow way,” but the narrow way is not choosing some hidden spiritual meaning that contradicts the written Word. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). You are the one missing the point when you tell people to set aside what Scripture plainly says in favor of what you claim the Spirit is showing you.

That is an old trick. Satan began with, “Yea, hath God said?” (Genesis 3:1). The moment someone starts making God's actual words uncertain so that his own spiritual interpretation can take their place, he is headed in the wrong direction.

You need to seriously examine whether you are on that narrow way yourself. Teachers will answer to God for what they teach. “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1). I pray you wake up, stop adding to God's Word, and submit your teaching to what is actually written before it is too late.

 

[bdavidc]

I deny nothing I wrote--because it's not mine but His who sent me--only your false accusations and misguided understanding. God knows.

God sure does know, ScottA, and that is exactly why you better wake up.

You are now claiming that what you wrote is “not mine but His who sent me.” That is an extremely serious claim. God warned about men who put His name behind their own words: “Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith” (Jeremiah 23:31).

Claiming God gave you the words does not exempt them from being tested by Scripture. It makes the responsibility even greater. “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6).

Yes, God knows. That is why you better wake up and make absolutely sure you are not attributing to Almighty God something He never said.

 

[bdavidc]

"sentence"

Well, good for you!

That's the problem--you reacted to one sentence like those who deceive often do--without the whole message.

I responded to your sentence because that sentence made a specific claim, and I quoted it exactly. If the rest of your message changes what that sentence means, then show how.

Calling me deceptive does not answer what you actually wrote. Scripture says, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him” (Proverbs 18:13). I read your words. Now deal with them.

If your meaning was different, explain it plainly. But do not blame me for quoting your own statement accurately.

 

[ScottA]

@bdavidc
My work with you is done. You made yourself clear. What was a lifeline, you have used to rant what you do and do not believe, revealing yourself. You'll have to change for it to be anything more. The time for reason and correction is over.